trimberger et au



pril 22, 1941.

luzrml A. TRIMBERGER EI'AL COMBINATION IGNITION SWITCH AND LOCK Filed Aug. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l -42? Z022 .75nd '77? 56721762", Mfoiz 3 fuzzy 'eff4 April 22, 1941. A. TRIMBERGER ETAL COMBINATION IGNITION SWITCH AND LOCK Filed Aug.l 18, 1939 2 Shams-'Sheet 2 J ml Patented Apr. 22, 1941 OFFICE GOIVIBINATION IGNITION SWITCH AND LOCK Anton Trimberger and Merton Frazier, Sheboygan, Wis.

Application August 18, 1939, Serial No. 290,964

(Cl. 20o-45) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an ignition lock and it is one object of the invention to provide a device of this character which is of a permutation construction and may not be manipulated to close the ignition circuit of an engine constituting the power unit of an automobile or other motor vehicle by anyone not knowing the combination which must be set before a circuit closing switch member can vbe shifted to closed position for bridging contacts of the switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ignition lock in which the permutation disks and the bridging strip are all enclosed in a housing adapted to be mounted upon the instrument board of the motor vehicle or over the steering column, in suchposition that the cap orcover of the housing and a dial will be presented toward the driver of the vehicle for convenient operation of the dial when the permutation disks are to be set and permit closing of the switch or scattered so that unauthorized closing of the switch will be prevented. l

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch having a permutation lock associated therewith and including a slidable switch member having a pin projecting therefrom vfor engagement with permutation disks so mounted that by turning a knob having a dial about its periphery in predetermined directions, the disks may be properly set to move notches in the disks into registry to receive `the pin and allow the slidable switch member to be shifted longitudinally into position to bridge stationary contacts and thus close the circuit through the ignition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the disks and the movable switch member are all carried by the cap or cover ofthe casing and are removable from the casing with the cover, thus allowing them to be removed as a unit andrepairs or adjustments made very easily. f

'I'he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved ignition lock.

Fig. 2I is a sectional view taken vertically through the switch and lock on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, ther switch being closed. g

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the switch open.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken transversely through the switch and lock on the line 64-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on the line I--1 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view 0n a Ireduced scale, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6. l

Fig. 9 is a face view of one of the permutation disks.

Fig. 10 is an edge View of the permutation disk.

Fig. 11 is a view showing the device mounted over the steering column by means of a bracket having clamping engagement with the steering column. Y

This combination ignition switch and lock has a casing or housing I whichl may be formed of insulation or other desired material and carriesl I a suitable number of sockets 2 to receive screws for securing the casing against the instrument board of an automobile or other motor vehicle. rlihe casing is provided' with a cap or cover 5 carrying sockets 3 for engagement by screws 44` by means of ,which the cap is held in place. The screws 4 also serve as securing elements for a bridging strip B extending diametrically across the casing with its ends bearing against opposite I'Jortions of the annular wall of the casing. After the screws are tightened the portions of their heads 4 which are vengaged by a screw driver are cut off, as indicated by dotted lines, so that removal of the screws and unauthorizedftampering with the locking mechanism will be rendered diicult. Outwardly of the cap 5 is a dial 1 having a turning knob 8 ,formed with a socket 9 in which tightly lits the head I0 of the neck II of a stem or shaft I2, the neck being engaged by the inner end of a set screw I3 extending radially through the turning head to firmly hold the turning head to the neck and cause the stem or shaft tobe turned with the turning head and dial 'I.

Stationary contacts I4, formed of conductive metal, yare secured to the cap or cover'5 in spaced and insulated relation to each other by pins lor rivets I5 and are formed with attaching tongues I6 to which conductor wires I'I 'are secured. These contacts are substantially U-shaped, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,and their free ends are bent to form abutment anges i8 for engagement by the inner end of a movable contact or bridging member I9. This movable contact or bridge is also formed of conductive metal and has a central slot or passage 20 through which passes the shaft I2 anda bushing 2| formed of insulation and iixed upon the shaft to turn therewith. The rear end portion of the shaft I2 turns in a bushing 22 received in an opening 24 formed in the rear wall of the casing and this bushing. Permutation disks and 25 are mounted about the bushings 2l and 23, the disk 25 being fixed to the bushing 2l and the disk 26 being loose on the bushing 23 so that it may be turned about this bushing. A washer 21 is disposed about the shaft between confronting ends of the bushings and in between the permutation disks', and there has also been provided a washer 23 fitting about the bushing 23 between the disk 26 and the rear wall oi the casing. Recesses 29 and 39 are formed in the disks radially thereof from their peripheral edges and pins or lugs 3l and 32 project from side faces of the disks in position for engagement of the lug 32 by the lug 3l when the disk 25 is turned. It will thus be seen that by grasping the knob 8 and turning the dial 1 and the shaft I2 the disk 25 may be turned in` one direction until its lug 3l engages the lug 32 and turns the disk 26 to its proper position, the shaft and dial 25 being then turned in an opposite direction to move its lug away from the lug 32 and leave the disk 25 stationary in a set position while the disk 25 is moved to its predetermined position of adjustment. The scale markings 33 and 34 about peripheral edge portions of the dial 1 and cap or cover 5, serve as guides for proper setting of the disks, and when the two disks are in their predetermined set positions, the recesses 29 and 3U will be in alinement, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the pin 35 projecting from the shank 36 of the movable contact may enter the recesses and thus permit the movable contact or bridge to be shifted inwardly a sufcient distance to dispose its inner end portion in bridging engagement with the stationary contacts. The flanges I8 limit inward movement of the movable Contact, this inward movement being also limited by the pin 35 reaching the inner ends of the recesses 29 and 39. The shank 3B of the movable contact is in the form of a strip extending radially of the casing and out through a recess or seat 31 formed in the marginal wall of the casing and, in order that the shank of the movable contact may be easily grasped and the movable contact shifted into and out of a circuit closing position, blocks 38 of insulation are secured against opposite side faces of the shank by a pin 39. These blocks form a handle for the shank of suiiicient size to be readily grasped, and the handle also serves as means for limiting inward movement of the movable contact, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the switch is in use, it is installed by securing it against the instrument board, or a clamping bracket 49, formed of resilient sheet metal, may have its upper end secured against the under portion of the peripheral wall of the casing by screws 4I, engaged in sockets 42, and the jaws 43 of the clamp drawn tightly about the steering column 44 by'bolts 45. The switch will thus be mounted in such a position that it may be readily reached by the driver of the motor vehicle. When the engine of the vehicle is to be started the disks are set as previously set forth and the movable contact thrust inwardly to bridge the stationary contacts and thus close the ignition circuit. When the vehicle is brought to a stop and the Kdriver intends to leave the same, the movable contact is grasped by its insulated head and drawn outwardly to move its inner end out of engagement with the stationary contacts and the circuit will be broken. The head 8 of the dial 1 is then grasped and turned to shift the disks 25 and 26 out of their set position and the recesses 29 and 30 will be moved out of alinement. This will prevent the movable contact from being thrust inwardly to circuit closing position. An unauthorized person attempting to start the engine will not be able to do so as the disks cannot be set without knowing the proper combination.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An ignition switch and lock comprising a casing open at one end, a removable cap for the open end of said casing, a rotatable shaft eX- tending through the cap and casing and projecting outwardly from the cap, inner and outer bushings for said shaft mounted in alined openings formed in the cap and the rear wall of said casing, the outer bushing being fixed to said shaft, a turning knob carried by the protruding outer end portion of said shaft and having a dial about its periphery, stationary contacts mounted against the inner face of said cap at one side thereof and spaced from each other circumferentially of the cap, a movable contact formed with a slot slidably receiving the inner portion of the outer bushing to slidably mount the contact with its inner edge in position to engage said stationary contacts and bridge the same when the movable contact is slid longitudinally inwardly, said movable contact having a shank projecting outwardly between the cap and walls ofthe casing, a pin projecting from said shank within the casing, disks about Said bushings formed with recesses leading from their peripheres to receive said pin, the disk carried by the inner bushing being loose thereon and the disk carrie-d by the outer bushing being Xed to the same, said disks being provided with companion means whereby upon turning of the shaft and the outer disk in predetermined directionsthe disks may be moved to set positions disposing their recesses in position to receive the pin and permit inward movement of the movable contact to circuit closing position.

2. An ignitionv switch and lock comprising a casing open at one end, a cap for closing the open end of said casing, stationary contacts in said casing carried by said cap and spaced from each other circumferentially thereof, said contacts having conductor engaging portions and arms bent at their ends to form abutment flanges, a shaft journaled axially' through the casing and` the cap with a portion projecting outwardly from the cap and provided with turning means, a movable contact in said casing slidably carried by the shaft for movement radially thereof and having an actuating shank projecting externally from the casing for shifting the movable contact into and out of bridging engagement with the arms and abutment flanges thereof, permutation disks in said casing disposed about said shaft and formed withrecesses leading from their peripheral edges, one disk-being freely rotatable and the other disk being mounted to turn with the shaft and having means for turning the second disk and moving the recesses into alinement with each other, and a pin extending from the shank of the movable contact within the casing and adapted to enter said recesses to permit movement of the movable contact to circuit closing position when the disks are set.

3. An ignition switch and lock comprising a casing open at its front, a cap for closing the open front of said casing, stationary contacts in said casing, a bridging strip extending diametrically across the open front of said casing, a shaft journaled through the cap and the bridging strip and the rear wall of said casing, sockets carried by the cap, fasteners p-assing through the rear wall of the casing and through the bridging strip and removably engaged in the sockets carried by the cap, a turning knob carried by said shaft, ther knob and cap having companion vscale markings, a movable contact straddling the same to a set position when the shaft is turned in predetermined directions to set the disks, said disks having recesses leading from their peripheral edges and disposed in alinement when the disks are set, and a pin carried by the shank within the casing for entering the recesses when the disks are set and permitting movement of the movable contact into position to engage the stationary contacts.

4. An ignition switch and lock comprising a casing open Iat one end, a cap for closing the Y open end of said casing, stationary contacts in said casing, a shaft journaled axially of the casing and cap with one end portion projecting from the cap, a turning knob carried by the outwardly projecting portion of said shaft, the cap and knob having companion scale markings, a movable Contact straddling said shaft and shiftable radially thereof into and out of position to engage the stationary contacts and close a circuit,

and permutation means for controlling move- "f1 ment of the movable contact including permutation disks mounted about said shaft and a pin carried by the movable contact for engaging said disks.

5. An ignition switch and lock comprising a Casing open at one end, a cap for closing the open end of said casing, stationary contacts in said casing, a shaft journaled axially of the casing and the cap, a movable Contact straddling said shaft within the casing and slidably carried thereby for movement radially thereof into and out of position for one end portion to eng-age the stationary contacts and close a circuit, means for turning said sha-ft in predetermined directions, and permutation means for controlling movement of the movable contact to a circuit closing position including companion disks mounted about said shaft within the casing and formed with recesses registering when the disks are set, and a pin carried by the movable contact for entering the recess of said disks.

6. An ignition switch and lock comprising a casing open at one end, a cap for closing the open end of said casing, stationary contacts in said casing, a shaft journaled axially of the casing and the cap, a bridging strip carried by the shaft within the casing with its ends mounted between the cap and the peripheral walls of the casing, fasteners for holding the cap in place passing through the bridging strip, a movable contact in said casing slidably carried by the shaft and shiftable into and out of position to engage the stationary contacts and close a circuit, means for turning said shaft, and permutation means for controlling movement of the movable contact to a circuit closing position including permutation disks disposed about the shaft 

